A civilized journey at a moderate price

Prompted by rising fuel costs and the prospect of added wear and tear on our venerable RV, we had elected, following our departure from Mexico in the spring, to store the motor home in Yuma and fly home to Vancouver. Now with winter around the corner, our minds turned once again to the sun and beaches of Mexico and our vehicle waiting patiently in the dust and heat of southern Arizona, and the more we contemplated the airline's knee crushing confinement and strict luggage limitations, the more we turned our minds to other modes of travel.

It was my wife Lizzy who suggested Amtrak and, having been a lover of trains from the days of steam, I eagerly nodded approval. Within minutes she had, via the magic of the Internet, examined timetables and even booked tickets. The total cost for two in sleeping car, including two lunches, two dinners and one breakfast, amounted to barely more than $500 all the way from Vancouver to Yuma. We would have easily spent that much on fuel even before sighting the first California palm tree.

At the shivering hour of 5:30 a.m. amid a west coast drizzle we boarded a Conrail bus at Vancouver's Main and Terminal station which, even with the usual border delay, brought us, as promised, to Seattle's King Street Station in plenty of time to board the Los Angeles bound Amtrak's Coast Starlight. Punctually at 9:30 the gleaming double decker carriages began to move on their southward journey via Tacoma, Portland, Eugene-Springfield, Sacramento, San Francisco Bay area and Santa Barbara.

No sooner were we clickety clacking our way over a sea of rails that make up the Seattle yard, than Anthony, our car attendant, appeared at our door bearing champagne. "To welcome you aboard," he declared with a broad smile. Following his departure, a dining car attendant arrived to take our time reservation for lunch. Later we were invited at a nominal cost of $5 per head to wine and cheese tasting in the parlour car where we sampled excellent Washington, Oregon and California wines. This was repeated on day two with a different selection and, just as it was in the dining car, we were seated with an ever-changing cast of fellow travellers with whom we traded travel stories and discovered how diverse a group today's train travellers are.

Throughout the journey our home was a private compartment designed for two. While during the day two facing arm chairs offer comfortable window seating, at night they are pushed together to form a narrow but equally comfortable bed with a second bunk lowered from the ceiling. Getting in or out of the upper bunk required a certain amount of agility, however once tucked in, we both slumbered peacefully while the train snaked its way over the Siskiyou Mountains.

From the start the rails exposed us to the forests and mountains of the Northwest, dreamy waterfront vistas of Puget Sound, interspersed with grimy industrial back lots, sleepy little towns and a fascinating peek in to America's back yard. Heavy rumbling heralded the crossing of yet another major waterway, be it the Columbia, Sacramento or a bridge over the waterways of Oakland.

Harbouring ingrained doubts about the quality of railway food, we initially approached the dining car with some misgivings but, to our delight, the menu was both varied and excellent and stylishly served by white-jacketed waiters.

Upon arrival at the cathedral-like Los Angeles Union Station, we took a taxi to a hotel on Broadway, a part of town we happily found under going a renaissance.

Next day our six hour journey between L.A. and Yuma in coach was equally agreeable. The train, bound for New Orleans, left on time and trundled through an endlessly sprawling greater Los Angeles before stopping at Palm Springs and finally Yuma where the hot, dry desert wind had us quickly discarding our B.C. gear.

Looking back, we found the entire rail trip to be an inexpensive yet civilized mode of travel especially suited to those not rushing to the next meeting or bound by a stopwatch existence.

Submitted by Mike and Liz Busch, "on a beach somewhere on the coast of Mexico."

Almost Done!

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.